1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an X-ray apparatus of the type having a C-arm X-ray device with at least one electrically operable component that is arranged at a C-arm that is adjustable relative to a holding mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is conventional to arrange an X-ray source and an X-ray receiver at a C-arm of a C-arm X-ray device, which is adjustable relative to a holding mechanism for the C-arm that is connected to the housing of the C-arm X-ray device. As a rule, the X-ray apparatus also has a separately implemented viewing device unit connected to the C-arm X-ray device via at least one cable. Given such an X-ray apparatus, the energy for the operation of the X-ray source and of the X-ray receiver as well as all data to be transferred between the X-ray source, the X-ray receiver and, for example, a data processing means arranged in the viewing device unit are transmitted via cables.
A cable module as disclosed, for example, in German OS 197 43 215 is provided in the holding mechanism for the transmission of the energy via the mechanical interface via the holding mechanism and the C-arm to the electrically operable components arranged at C-arm or for the transmission of the data between the components arranged at the C-arm and electrically operable components arranged in the housing or the viewing device unit. The cable module has cables that can be wound onto and off of drums via which the X-ray source and the X-ray receiver as well as other electrically operable components, as may be arranged at the C-arm and connected to the cables, are supplied with energy and via which the data transfer ensues between the X-ray source, the X-ray receiver and, for example, the data processing means.
A disadvantage of this form of transmission of energy and data via the mechanical interface between the holding mechanism and the C-arm of the X-ray device is the structural space that the cable module occupies in a C-arm X-ray device, particularly in the holding device, as well as the comparatively large mass of the cable module, amounting to more than 52 kg.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,415, moreover, discloses a computed tomography apparatus with a gantry carrying an X-ray system that is rotatable around a rotational center, whereby measured data are intermediately stored in a data memory rotating together with the gantry during a scan, the measured data being transmitted in non-contacting fashion to a stationary unit of the computed tomography apparatus upon standstill of the gantry. This data transmission takes place via a data transfer unit. The transmission of the data thus cannot ensue continuously.
German OS 198 37 442 discloses a computed tomography apparatus wherein the transmission of data from a rotor carrying an X-ray source and an X-ray receiver ensues in non-contacting fashion, using transmission and reception devices, to a console that is stationary relative to the rotor.
German PS 42 07 007 discloses a computed tomography apparatus wherein the data transmission from a rotor onto a console ensues with a rotating current coupling. The current coupling comprises an annular, rotating disk with interconnects with which stationary signal pickups are in contact.
German OS 195 33 819 discloses an apparatus and a method for a communication with a high data rate in a computed tomography system wherein a coupler is secured to a stationary frame and is arranged adequately close to a transmission line secured to the rotating frame for establishing a radio coupling in order to transmit an applied, modulated signal.
Further, German OS 43 03 643 discloses an X-ray system having a number of system components each allocated to a data transmission node in the CAN protocol, the data input and data output thereof having an interactive connection to other data transmission nodes via transmitters or receivers. The transmitters and receivers of at least some data transmission nodes are fashioned for the contactless transmission of data. The contactless transmission of the data is intended to assure a faster and more dependable data transmission.
The article, xe2x80x9cVirtuelles Kabelxe2x80x9d by Wilfried Blaesner, Design and Elektronik, 02/99, pages 16 through 18, describes a radio data transmission system that operates according to the DECT standard.
German PS 196 46 607 discloses a method and an apparatus for the positionally correct processing of X-ray cassettes having a data memory. A sensor checks whether the data memory of a cassette is at a specific position relative to the sensor at a specific point in time.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,653 discloses transmitting image data from a C-arm X-ray device to a data processing means in non-contacting fashion using an optical transmission path. A disadvantage of optical transmission of data, however, is the required line-of-sight path between the transmitter and the receiver for the data, requiring a specific arrangement of the transmitter relative to the receiver.
An object of the present invention is to provide an X-ray apparatus of the type initially described wherein data transmission and/or energy transmission via the mechanical interface between the holding mechanism and the C-arm is simplified.
This object is inventively achieved in an X-ray apparatus having a C-arm X-ray device with at least one electrically operable component that is arranged at the C-arm that is adjustable relative to a holding mechanism, having a first data transmitter and a data and energy receiver arranged at the C-arm or the component. A data and energy transmitter and a data receiver are arranged at the holding mechanism or at a housing connected to the holding mechanism for the transmission of data and/or energy. The exchange of data and/or transmission of energy between these transmitters and receivers ensues contactless, and whereby the transmission of data and/or energy can ensue continuously. As used herein, disposing these items xe2x80x9catxe2x80x9d the designated apparatus part encompasses disposing them xe2x80x9cinxe2x80x9d the designated apparatus part. Because the transmission of data and/or energy ensues in non-contacting fashion, a cable module that occupies structural space and increases the mass of the X-ray device can be foregone. Accordingly, the data transmission and/or the energy transmission via the mechanical interface between the holding mechanism and the C-arm is significantly simplified. Moreover, the transmission of data and/or energy in the present invention can ensue continuously during the adjustment of the C-arm relative to the holding mechanism, i.e., without intermediate storage of data and/or energy, which would involve additional outlay at the X-ray device.
Further, the contactless transmission of data and/or energy via the mechanical interface makes it possible to keep this as simple as possible, so that the preconditions are created for replacing or exchanging the C-arm provided with at least one component with a different C-arm in a relatively simple way without being impeded by means for the data and/or energy transmission.
The aforementioned receiver for data and/or energy and the aforementioned transmitter for data can be separate components or can be combined as a single component. If multiple components are used, the functions respectively performed by the multiple components can be distributed in a suitable manner, such as by separating transmission functions and reception functions or by separating energy-related functions and data-related functions. The same considerations apply to the transmitter for energy and/or data and the receiver for data at the holding mechanism or the housing.
In one embodiment of the invention the transmitters and receivers for the transmission of data include at least one transmission device and at least one receiption device for the signal-carrying waves. According to versions of the invention, the transmission device can be an infrared transmitter and the reception device can be an infrared receiver or the transmission device can be a radio transmitter and the reception device can be a radio receiver. The employment of transmission and reception devices for signal-carrying waves for the transmission of data within the C-arm X-ray device is an especially simple possibility for the contactless transmission of data.
In an embodiment of the invention, the contactless exchange of the data and/or the transmission of energy ensues inductively, with the transmitters and receivers including at least one pair of coupled coils. Inductive coupling also represents a suitable possibility for transmitting data and/or energy via the mechanical interface between the C-arm and the holding mechanism. Whereas a coupling coil of the transmitter for the transmission of data and/or energy, and/or a coupling coil for the data receiver, is preferably arranged in the holding mechanism of the C-arm X-ray device, a coupling coil of the receiver for data and/or energy, and/or a coupling coil for the data transmitter, is preferably arranged along the C-arm. Given the adjustment of the C-arm relative to the holding mechanism, the coupling coils are moved relative to one another, whereby the coupling gap between the coupling coils is kept approximately constant during the adjustment, so that a dependable data transmission and/or energy transmission can ensue via the coupling coils.
In an embodiment of the invention the contactless transmission of energy ensues via microwaves. In a version of this embodiment, the receiver fr data and/or energy (serving as an energy receiver) has at least one component provided with a transmission medium for microwaves, and the transmitter for data and/or energy (serving as an energy transmitter) has at least one microwave generator collaborating with the component. The transmission medium, which comprises dipoles, can, for example, be water and the component can be a plastic tube filled with the water. Such a water-filled plastic tube, can be arranged at the C-arm so that, given adjustment movements of the C-arm relative to the holding mechanism, it is moved such relative to a microwave generator arranged in the holding mechanism so that the microwave generator can introduce microwaves into the transmission medium. The microwaves are ultimately transmitted via the transmission medium to one or more components connected to the plastic tube, so that the component or components can be supplied with energy via a suitable emission of the microwaves from the plastic tube.
In another embodiment of the invention the receiver for data and/or energy (serving as an energy receiver) has at least one waveguide, and the transmitter for data and/or energy (serving as an energy transmitter) has at least one microwave generator collaborating with the waveguide. In this embodiment, the microwave generator introduces microwaves into the waveguide, these being transmitted to the component or components connected to the waveguide, so that the component or components can be supplied with energy in this case as well after suitable emission of the microwaves.
In an embodiment of the invention the housing is implemented as an apparatus carriage and the electrically operable component can be an X-ray source or an X-ray receiver or a camera allocated to the X-ray receiver.
In another embodiment of the invention, the X-ray apparatus includes a second device unit that has a processor for processing data and at least one display device. In the case of an X-ray apparatus having a C-arm X-ray device, the second device unit forms what is referred to as a viewing device unit on whose display device X-ray images acquired with a C-arm X-ray device can be displayed.
In order to also avoid cabling between the X-ray device and the second device unit, the second device unit in an embodiment of the invention likewise has an arrangement for the contactless exchange of data that interact with the arrangement for contactless exchange of data of the X-ray device, particularly with the receiver for data and/or energy and the transmitter for data disposed at the C-arm or the component.
Accordingly, in an embodiment the second device unit has at least one transmission device and/or at least one reception device for signal-carrying waves. The transmission device can be an infrared transmitter and the reception device can be an infrared receiver, or the transmission device can be a radio transmitter and the reception device can be a radio receiver. In this way, data can be transmitted and/or received to/from the arrangement of the C-arm or the component directly of the X-ray device is assured, so that the data transfer between the second device and the component arranged at the C-arm need not necessarily ensue via the transmitter or receiver disposed at the holding mechanism.